Creatine monohydrate is one of the most researched and proven sports supplements on the market.
It’s well known for boosting strength and muscle mass, but research also shows it can improve cognitive performance, help prevent injuries, and even protect against overtraining.
If you’re an athlete, creatine should be on your radar. But with so many types, brands, and myths out there, it can be hard to know exactly how to take it for best results.
This guide breaks it all down so you can get the most from your creatine and keep your athletic goals on track.
What You’ll Learn in This Article
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The best type of creatine to take (and why others aren’t worth it)
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How often to take creatine and why consistency matters
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Whether timing your dose before or after training makes a difference
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The truth about loading phases and cycling creatine
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How creatine affects hydration and water intake
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The best ways to mix and consume creatine for absorption
1. What Type of Creatine Should You Take?
Answer: Creatine Monohydrate.
Despite marketing claims for other types, no study to date has proven any other form to be more effective. Creatine monohydrate is the form used in the vast majority of research—and the one you should stick with.
2. Should You Take Creatine Every Day?
Answer: Yes.
Nearly all creatine studies showing benefits had participants taking 3–5g per day, every day. Consistency keeps your muscle creatine stores topped up.
If you struggle to remember daily doses, here are strategies you can use to stay consistent.
3. When Should You Take Creatine?
Answer: Any time daily, with a slight edge post-workout.
A 2013 review suggested taking creatine around training—possibly post-workout—might be marginally better. But the effect is tiny. The most important thing is to take it every day.
If creatine causes stomach discomfort, take it after food to reduce side effects.
4. Should You Do a Creatine Loading Phase?
Answer: It’s not really necessary, and you could risk stomach issues.
Loading (20g/day for 3–5 days) gets your levels up faster, but research shows that taking 3–5g/day for a few weeks works just as well without the increased risk of stomach issues.
Our suggestion is to keep it simple with 5g/day and skip the loading phase.
5. Do You Need to Cycle Creatine?
Answer: No.
Once you stop, muscle creatine stores drop and your high-power capacity may decrease. The only reason to stop is if you need to cut weight for competition. In most cases, the performance gains outweigh any downside.
We covered how endurance athletes can cycle creatine before race day to improve their performance, but in general, the strength gained by training with creatine outweighs any potential downside. Learn more about this and other supplements that benefit endurance athletes.
6. How Much Water Should You Drink?
Answer: Drink according to quench thirst.
Creatine pulls water into muscle cells, which may increase muscle size and add a few pounds of water weight. This can slightly reduce water in the rest of your body, so listen to your body and drink when thirsty.
7. What Should You Take Creatine With?
Answer: Food or carbohydrates could be beneficial.
Creatine doesn’t taste great, and some companies have used additives to make it taste a little better (we’re not into this at Blonyx, as we feel it’s better to avoid additives altogether).
Creatine tends to mix well and can easily be added to shakes, juices, and foods. Water, or even coffee, are good for the brave as well.
Research does show that taking it with carbohydrates will increase its absorption into the muscle. At 5g/day, this won't make much of a difference, but worth noting.
8. How Much Liquid to Mix With Creatine?
Answer: 1 cup or 250ml of liquid is an ideal amount
This is enough to fully dissolve the powder without affecting digestion. See our HMB+ Creatine user guide for more usage tips.
9. Choosing the Right Creatine Brand
Answer: A brand that has you and your athletic ambition’s best interest at heart.
Look for brands focused on:
- Product quality
- Correct dosage
- Purity
At Blonyx, we use only research-backed ingredients, proper dosing, and minimal additives to ensure our HMB+ Creatine supports your performance without compromise.
Key Takeaways
Creatine is safe, effective, and worth taking for most athletes—but how you take it matters.
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Stick with creatine monohydrate—the most researched and proven form.
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Take 3–5g daily to keep muscle stores topped up.
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Timing isn’t critical, but post-workout may have a small advantage.
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Skip loading and cycling unless you have a specific reason.
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Drink to thirst and mix with food or carbs if desired.
Consistency is key. Take creatine daily, use a high-quality brand, and pair it with a solid training plan for the best results.
If you learned something new from this article and are curious to know more, check out the Blonyx Blog or head to our growing list of weekly sports science research summaries where we help you further improve your athletic performance by keeping you up to date on the latest findings.
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